Stephen D'Angelo
Stephen D'Angelo is a programmer for Champions Online. "Meet the Team" Interview Q: What do you do on Champions Online? A: I write a lot of text all day long that somehow makes computers do wonderful and amazing things that are almost indistinguishable from magic. I have been responsible for a variety of systems, ranging from the costume creator to missions and encounters, as well as providing many of the internal tools used by the designers to make the world of Champions Online come alive. Q: How long have you worked in gaming, and what did you do before Champions Online? A: Before starting on Champions Online a little more than a year ago, I spent 15 years working on high performance, high reliability distributed database software in various forms. My forays into gaming prior to Champions Online were all in board and card games. My best-known work in gaming was as keeper of the Magic: The Gathering rules for about 10 years. Q: What part of Champions Online are you most excited about working on? A: Bringing the costume creator to life has been the most fun, but virtually every game system has its own appeal. MMOs are amazing in how they combine so many different dimensions of gaming into one package. Q: Who is your favorite Champions Online character? A: Defender. I favor heroes who are steadfast and true. Q: What is your secret superpower? A: If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret! My not-so-secret power is to take an apparent mess of ideas and information and crystallize it into something useful. Q: What game or games are you obsessing over currently? A: Right now I'm working my way through Professor Layton and the Curious Village on my DS and pounding away on Rock Band before the release of Rock Band 2. Q: What do you like to do in your free time? A: I read, play board and card games and spend time with my wife and son. Q: What three things would you take on a deserted island? A: Some raw materials to craft with while waiting for the respawn, a good sword for fighting and my quest journal. When I got finished checking off all of the quests there, I'd gate home. Q: Pirates, ninja or …? A: Planeswalkers. There is nothing quite like having the ability to call upon the power of the multiverse for sending defenseless ninjas or pirates to the graveyard. Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to break into gaming? A: If you want to make games, then take games apart first. Play them, study them and find out what makes them fun. Don't just figure out what they do; ask yourself why they do it. Q: Is there anything you would like to add? A: Opportunity doesn't come knocking often. Usually, it goes running by outside. Sometimes you have to chase it down and tackle it. Life is what you make of it. Sources category:developers